Economic analysis and research

Strategic economic analysis and research contributes to the development of better environmental policy through economic policy analyses, and the development of innovative economic-environmental modelling capabilities.

Environmental valuation

• Envalue - a database of studies on environmental valuation first released in 1995.
• Environmental valuation reference inventory (EVRI) - a resource run by Environment Canada providing more than 2,000 international studies on environmental valuation.

Regulatory impact statements

Regional economic assessments

Impact assessments

Since 1998, OEH (and its predecessor organisations NPWS, DEC, DECC and DECCW) has produced a number of studies using input-output analysis to estimate the direct and flow-on impacts of individual parks and other reserves on local economies, as well as studies examining different aspects of the economic value of national parks, marine parks and other reserves in NSW.

The scope of this research has been widened to consider the impacts of protected areas in several broad regions of NSW. These studies focus on the economic structure of the regions in which the protected areas are located, and examine potential strengths and weaknesses of these economies, and trends which may affect the future contribution that the protected areas can make to regional economic activity.

The report about the Economic benefits of national parks and other reserves in New South Wales (PDF 69KB) summarises the approach used to estimate the direct and flow-on impacts of national parks and other reserves on local economies and local communities for:

• North-east NSW
• Far south coast
• Western pastoral region of NSW
• NSW wheat-sheep belt
• Greater Shoalhaven region

Other regional economic impact assessments:

• Riverina Red Gums: Centre for Agricultural and Regional Economics Report
• The contribution of the Montague Island Nature Reserve to regional economic development  
• Fitzroy Falls Visitor Centre economic impact of management and visitor expenditure (PDF 621KB)  
• Estimated Economic Impact of Batemans Marine Park on Commercial Activities
• Socio Economic Assessment of the Batemans Marine Park
• Estimated Economic Impact of the Proposed Port Stephens Great Lakes Marine Park on Commercial Activities
• Socio Economic Assessment of the Port Stephens Great Lakes Marine Park

Marine and coastal economic research

OEH has produced and commissioned a number of reports on economic issues relating to coastal and marine environments, including studies of the impacts and values of marine park establishment, management and use.

• The Recreation Use Value of NSW Marine Parks
• Survey of local businesses servicing NSW Marine Parks
• Literature Review of Bio-economic Impacts of Pollutants Affecting Marine Park Environments
• Economic Values of NSW Marine Parks

OEH is also in the process of finalising a number of internal reports on coastal and marine-related issues (including marine parks). These reports are still in the draft report stage, and have not yet been peer reviewed. Once these reports have been reviewed, the finalised reports will be published on the OEH website.

Other studies

• The Economic Value of Recreational Use in Protected Areas (PDF 910KB)
• Information Audit of Socio-Economic Activities in the Gwydir River Catchment (PDF 480KB)
• The Economic Geography of the Gwydir and Macquarie River Catchment Towns (PDF 3.2MB)
• Information Audit of Socio-economic Activities in the Macquarie River Catchment (PDF 1.7MB)
• Technical Review of Irrigated Agriculture in the Macquarie & Gwydir River Catchments (PDF 402KB)